#Children's Rights
Target:
Federal and Provincial Governments
Region:
Canada
Website:
www.tc.gc.ca

ARE YOUR CHILDREN RIDING TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY ON A SCHOOL BUS WITH NO SEAT-BELTS?

I have been talking with other parents and we would like to know WHY seat-belts have not been implemented into the school buses.

It seems pretty reckless to force everyone in each province (and country) to wear seat belts, but to not consider the consequences of having our small children riding in school busses, on icy roads, back and forth to school everyday, without even the option to wear a seatbelt.

Grey hound style busses have seat belts, aircraft have seat belts, yet school buses travelling at 80km/h, down the same icy highways that people are regularly killed on (in vehicular accidents), are not required to even have seat belts!

Is there a logical explanation for this?

According to TRANSPORT CANADA, this is the EXCUSE found here: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/tp-tp2436-rs200808-p4-1210.htm :

"Provinces, Territories and local school boards choose the means and type of transportation for school children that best suits their needs."

"Restrictions for school use: Transport Canada cannot restrict vehicle use. Some provinces/territories and school boards do not allow the use of large passenger vans for school functions. Please contact your provincial/territorial transportation office or local school board for more details."

THIS IS NO EXCUSE FOR TRANSPORT CANADA TO ALLOW SCHOOL BUSES TO BE MANUFACTURED, AND THEN DRIVEN ON PUBLIC ROADS, FULL OF CHILDREN, WITH NO SEAT-BELTS FOR THEM TO WEAR!

We as parents, have a moral and ethical duty to have this addressed immediately, because if a bus load of children have to die unnecessarily, before Transport Canada does something to rectify this situation, it should be considered CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE, on their part, under the "due diligence" common laws of Canada.

The newly implemented (and enforced) law should state: "All school buses must be outfitted with CSA Approved seat-belts, (preferably 5-point harnesses), for school children to use, while travelling back and forth, each day, on Canadian public roads. Each bench seat shall be outfitted with three CSA Approved seat-belts, that includes a MINIMUM of a waist belt and one shoulder belt, OR, if the school bus accommodates bucket seats, then each bucket seat shall have a CSA Approved seat-belt, that includes a MINIMUM of a waist belt, and one shoulder belt. Any busses used for the purpose of bussing children to and from school that are in violation of this law will result in fines up to $50,000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months, for the person responsible for the maintenance and operation of the particular buss in violation, as well as fines up to $5,000 for the bus driver."

We, the undersigned, call on Transport Canada, to initiate and enforce a federal law, in Canada, that states that, "All school buses must be outfitted with CSA Approved seat-belts, (preferably 5-point harnesses), which school children must use, while travelling back and forth, each day, on Canadian public roads."

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The Place Seat-Belts in School Buses in Canada petition to Federal and Provincial Governments was written by Sheldon Rice and is in the category Children's Rights at GoPetition.